The Assamese
Religion, Caste and Sect in an Indian Village
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Book Description
First published in 1984, The Assamese is an anthropological exploration of Assam. The many tribes living in the hill tracts of Assam early engaged the attention of anthropologists but no significant studies have been made of the people living in the Assam valley who call themselves Assamese, the distinctive features of whose culture are inseparably connected with their religious institutions. The purpose of this book is to give an account of the way of life which the Assamese people are seeking to preserve, and its chief claim to attention is that it is the very first field-study of the village foundations of social life in Assam, containing a plenitude of detailed information on local aggregates, caste divisions, modes of livelihood, devotional practices, marriage patterns, and much else. This book will be of interest to students of anthropology, ethnic studies, history and cultural studies.
Table of Contents
List of Tables List of Figures List of Maps Abbreviations Introduction 1. Economic Differentiation and Caste in Panbari 2. The System of Kinship 3. The Nature of Affinity 4. The Pattern of Marriage 5. The Village Name House 6. Devotional Worship 7. The Institutionalization of Bhakti: the satra system 8. The Language of Food 9. Assamese Castes in Historical Perspectives 10. The Devotional Path in Assam 11. Shri Shankaradeva Sangha 12. Reform Sects in Panbari 13. Caste and Sect References Index
Author(s)
Biography
Audrey Cantlie